Priscilla Angriawan

I was born and raised in West Sumatra, a traditionally Islamic region of Indonesia, as part of a Chinese Christian minority. The May 1998 racial riots urged my family to prioritize my safety and education and send me to Singapore. I was always passionate about business and decided to attend Babson College in Boston, renowned for its entrepreneurial program. Managing multiple side projects during college, including importing fashion goods from China, solidified my entrepreneurial spirit. Later on, working in corporate jobs in Indonesia and being a mother myself, I witnessed firsthand the challenges mothers face, particularly in conservative and developing societies. This inspired me to create Buba&Bump in 2017, a space where women could connect and learn amidst life's transitions. However, during the pandemic, I was unable to pivot sustainably and had to close it down. I lost my confidence and was disheartened. Despite this setback, I still had a strong desire to improve the health and well-being of working women in Indonesia. To gain the necessary skills and knowledge, I decided to pursue an MBA at IE Business School. During this transformative journey, I developed a business model focusing on preventive corporate health programs, mental health, and women's reproductive health. Post graduation, I launched Heyva Health in Indonesia which offers accessible support for working families and resonates with my mission to empower women to excel both personally and professionally, even amidst the challenges of motherhood.

How did IE help you get to where you are today?

IE Business School was instrumental in refining my business acumen, connecting me with an outstanding community of students, professors, and alumni, and helping me articulate and shape my vision. The MBA program covered a comprehensive range of essential business skills, with operations and finance classes being particularly beneficial. These courses taught me how to establish scalable operations and develop accurate financial projections. As I embarked on my MBA journey at IE, I hoped to experience a supportive and nurturing environment where I could freely make mistakes, learn, and grow. I was fortunate to find exactly that and I feel deeply grateful for the invaluable experience it provided me. I had multiple opportunities to test and improve my business pitch, during IE Venture Day, the Entrepreneurial Venturing class, and my final project. These experiences allowed me to make significant progress with the support of my fellow students. The IE community was incredibly supportive, offering diverse perspectives from classmates and professors which enriched my learning experience. Additionally, I met my co-founder among the IE alumni. The entrepreneurial focus and hands-on teaching approach at IE empowered me to deliver concise presentations and confidently defend my ideas in discussions, overcoming many previous insecurities. Reflecting on my time at IE, I remember it as an encouraging environment where I could develop my skills and confidence as an entrepreneur, gaining experiences which are invaluable now that I am working on realizing my vision of improving the lives of women everywhere through Heyva.

How are you impacting the lives of women?

In Indonesia, 40% of women quit their jobs after giving birth, often due inability to juggle with work and as caretaker in the family. Heyva Health aims to address this challenge by providing comprehensive health support to women as they navigate personal and professional transitions. Through accessible preventive health programs, mental health services, and reproductive health support for the whole family, Heyva Health creates spaces and services that empower women to thrive in both their personal and professional lives. Our mission is to ensure that every woman has the opportunity to pursue both career and family aspirations without sacrificing one for the other. We collaborate with organizations such as Women in Mining and Energy to break barriers and provide vital support, especially in sectors with limited female representation.

In your opinion, what institutional or societal changes need to be made to keep women at the forefront of business and society?

From pitching to many business owners across various sectors, it's disheartening to hear that a preference for hiring men persists, with women often viewed as liabilities. Urgent mindset changes are needed, and one avenue is through government policy reform. In Indonesia, many workplace policies are still heavily patriarchal. To ensure that women remain at the forefront of business and society, systemic barriers such as gender discrimination and unequal access to opportunities must be dismantled. This requires promoting gender equality in the workplace, ensuring equal pay for equal work, and increasing female representation in leadership positions. Successful women leaders should provide sponsorship and allyship to their female colleagues, fostering a supportive environment. Additionally, there needs to be a cultural shift towards valuing the diverse contributions of women and challenging traditional gender norms. By promoting inclusivity and amplifying women's voices, we can create a society where every woman can thrive and contribute fully and freely.